The conclusion of the study undertaken by Chalmers University suggests that HVDC cables having P3HT in their insulation could sustain much higher voltages than what is currently possible.

August 31, 2021

A new cable-insulating material is designed to enable the relaying of electricity in a very efficient manner. The additive would address the challenge of energy losses while sending electricity through power lines while traveling large distances.

Increasing the voltage will be an ideal solution to the challenge, but while doing that will necessitate the installation of high voltage direct current (HVDC) cables. These have a limiting factor of their own, because if the voltage is too high, the layer of insulating material within them may rupture.

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In efforts to find a solution to the challenge, scientists at Chalmers University in Sweden are considering the use of a conjugated polymer called poly(3-hexylthiophene) – or P3HT. Also, the said material is utilized in applications and environments ranging from replacement retinas to solar cells.

For the research, P3HT was integrated into the polyethylene that’s already used for insulation in HVDC cables, at the defined ratio of only five parts per million. Upon analyzing the resulting composite material, it was concluded that it has only one-third of the electrical conductivity of pure polyethylene insulation. Also, since other additives have been previously tested as a means of reducing conductivity, substantially larger amounts of them have been needed.

The conclusions of the study indicate that HVDC cables having P3HT in their insulation could sustain much higher voltages than what is currently possible, further reducing energy losses in the current they’re carrying.

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In the words of the lead scientist in the research Professor Christian Müller, “our hope is that this study can really open up a new field of research, inspiring other researchers to look into designing and optimizing plastics with advanced electrical properties for energy transport and storage applications.”